Late at night.
Professor Guderian was flipping through documents in the library.
The bookshelves in the ancient books section reached the ceiling, made of Burmese hardwood, gleaming with an iron-like luster and color under the lights.
He stood at the top of a ladder, straining his arm to reach a booklet.
“Researching documents in the middle of the night?” someone said from below the ladder.
Guderian looked down, somewhat surprised.
“Manstein? You’re here too!”
“You know, today I proctored your S-rank student’s 3E Exam, so I came to look up some information.” Manstein glanced at Guderian.
“Oh, really? He is indeed worth studying.” Guderian responded vaguely.
“He is certainly worth studying. He spontaneously chanted Enyan · Emperor for a full fifteen minutes, and no student within six feet dared to approach, all just to create a quiet environment for himself to answer questions. How interesting.” Manstein said coldly.
“I had Noma check, and you also accessed that surveillance footage.”
“Yes, yes,” Guderian, who had originally intended to use ‘anything is possible for an S-rank’ as an excuse, hastily changed his words, “Doesn’t this just show his excellent bloodline?”
“Guderian, when you lie, you still unconsciously scratch your hair.” Manstein sighed.
Guderian’s expression changed. After a moment of silence, he honestly climbed down from the ladder, “You saw it?”
“Not only saw it, I also heard it and felt it.” Manstein looked directly into Guderian’s eyes, his Aryan blue-gray eyes holding a metallic cold light.
“When he reached out and pushed me away, he almost knocked me to the ground. The ancient chant poured into my brain, almost making me lose the strength to stand.”
“So that’s what it feels like to face Enyan · Emperor directly.”
A cold sweat broke out on Guderian’s back. Luckily, he had overslept during his nap and hadn’t gone to the classroom to check on Lu Mingfei.
“Your specialty is the study of Dragonkind bloodlines. You clearly know the power of Dragonkind bloodlines; even after dozens of generations of crossbreeding, they cannot be completely erased by human bloodlines.” Manstein said,
“But similarly, even if there’s an atavism, it won’t reach the level of pure blood. At most, it will be more concentrated than the parents, becoming a Next Generation Species or a super hybrid.”
Guderian nodded, “Mingfei’s parents were once our honorary alumni. I think his performance in terms of bloodline should be related to his parents. Without a doubt, Mingfei is a super hybrid. The principal couldn’t possibly bring in a pure-blooded Dragonkind and rate him as S-rank.”
“Enyan · Emperor is the highest Rune of the Dragon King Nidhogg to rule his descendants. Now a student has awakened such a Rune; this is absolutely not a small matter, and it is absolutely not something that can be glossed over with an S-rank bloodline.” Manstein said seriously.
Guderian remained silent, and after a moment, he responded.
“I know what you want to say. When Dragon Kings first awaken from slumber, they forget a large amount of memories, which is common throughout history. You suspect that Lu Mingfei, who used Enyan · Emperor, is a Dragon King.”
He whispered, “That’s impossible. We should trust the principal.”
“Even the most brilliant person has moments of confusion.” Manstein was unyielding.
Guderian was silent for a long time this time. “History is not lacking in people who obtained Dragon King-type Runes. The former Secret Party leader, when fighting a suspected Dragon King in the last century, released large-scale destructive Runes like Rhine or Zhulong.”
“The principal was a witness to that event. Perhaps he saw the same potential in Lu Mingfei, which is why he chose Lu Mingfei as an S-rank.”
“Ice Sea Scroll, code AD0076.” Manstein handed a copper scroll sealed in a cylindrical glass bottle to Guderian.
“A scroll with the initials AD?” Guderian was startled, “This is a top-secret document!”
“Only ancient documents contain the most hidden information.” Manstein said, “Enyan · Emperor is effective on all bloodlines subservient to the Dragon King, but it’s not only the Dragon King who can use it.”
Guderian suddenly remembered something, “The Dragonkind family tree once mentioned that Dragonkind suppressed their own kind using Golden Eyes, forcing them into submission. At the time, I wondered if bloodline alone was enough, but due to insufficient information, I could only attribute it to Dragonkind’s admiration for strength.”
“You mean, Enyan · Emperor is actually just a means for Dragonkind to maintain internal rule, and every Dragon can actually use it?”
Manstein nodded slightly, “The scroll mentions that when Next Generation Species drive Fourth-generation species, they often chant Enyan · Emperor in coordination.”
“He is a born ruler. If not properly educated, he could very likely become a notorious tyrant in the future. Not Dragonkind, but even more so than Dragonkind. Every hybrid has a brutal side in their heart.”
Guderian’s face turned pale, and he fell silent. The antique clock on the wall ticked.
“We originally live in the Seam between humans and Dragonkind. Do we really need to be so harsh on a child, just for a possible future?”
Manstein took out his pipe, lit it, took a few deep puffs, and gave a bitter smile.
“Guderian, don’t lie to yourself. Neither of us are very good educators. Kassel College’s predecessor was a military base. Can you say you are confident in guiding Lu Mingfei towards a good direction?” Manstein puffed hard on his pipe,
“You protect your student like this, have you considered the consequences if Lu Mingfei acts out in the future?”
“What exactly do you want to say?” Guderian’s voice trembled as he looked at Manstein.
“Write a report and give it to the principal. The principal is a very good educator. Let him decide Lu Mingfei’s fate.” Manstein said in a low voice.
Guderian’s heart turned cold. “What will be the result of doing that?”
“Lu Mingfei will be soft-confined, controlled, and brainwashed with certain ideas. He will have to live under the Secret Party’s surveillance his entire life, unable to leave Kassel College.”
Manstein took out his phone from his pocket and handed it to Guderian.
Guderian did not take the phone for a long time. He just grabbed Manstein’s hand, shaking it, and then slowly and forcefully closed the phone.
“Lu Mingfei…” Guderian paused, finally saying what he had wanted to say all along, “is a very good child.”
Manstein was silent.
Academically, he had always been inferior to Guderian, so he knew that a casual remark from his good friend might be deeply meaningful and needed careful consideration before answering.
The antique clock on the wall ticked, and time passed by minute by minute.
“You mean, we can try to trust Lu Mingfei’s true nature,” Manstein wondered, “Do you think Lu Mingfei’s true nature can suppress the violent factors brought by Dragon blood?”
Guderian scratched his head, “I just think that even if Lu Mingfei doesn’t receive our education, he won’t grow into the person you described.”
“That’s just your wishful thinking.”
“No, it’s not. Mingfei has always been a lonely, kind child. The first time I learned about Lu Mingfei’s background, Lu Mingfei told me himself, and I didn’t hear any resentment in his tone.” Guderian looked into his old friend’s eyes,
“He is not an extreme child. Even with immense power, he would only cautiously put it away and live as an ordinary person in obscurity.”
Manstein was stunned, lowering his head,
“I agree, but I want to transfer him to work under me. You trust his character, so I must make him understand some discipline.”
“Let him join the Disciplinary Committee.”